story: (CNN) -- Manchester City thrashed Sunderland 5-0 to keep alive their slim English Premier League title hopes and to cement their position in the top four Champions League places. 
  
  England international Adam Johnson, making his first start since injuring his ankle in January, opened the scoring in the ninth minute while captain Carlos Tevez doubled the Blues' advantage on the quarter hour from the penalty spot. 
  
  Second-half strikes from David Silva, Patrick Vieira and Yaya Toure completed the rout as City went above reigning champions Chelsea into third in the standings. 
  
  They are six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who pipped them for the final Champions League place last season, but have played a game more. 
  
  Leaders Manchester United have a seven-point lead over Arsenal, who have played a game less, with their neighbors City 10 points adrift. 
  
  The strikes from Johnson, who exchanged passes with Toure before finishing neatly, and Tevez, who was fouled by Michael Turner to draw the penalty, effectively ended the match as a contest with City always in command against a Sunderland side in poor recent form. 
  
  Silva scored after a Mario Balotelli shot was blocked, Vieira with his first touch after coming off the bench and Toure after an error by Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole. 
  
  City's Dutch international Nigel de Jong said the result was important for their Champions League ambitions. 
  
  "There are still seven games to go and anything can happen but this is a great confidence boost for our team -- we are real contenders for the Champions League places." he told Sky Sports. 
questions: What contest were they contending for?
questions: What teams were playing?
questions: Who won?
questions: Who started for the first time since January?
questions: Why had he not been playing?
questions: Who made the first score?
questions: How many points difference are they from Tottenham?
questions: What is their rank?
questions: Have they played more games?
questions: What nationality is player Nigel de Jong?
questions: How many games remain
questions: Where did winning this game move them up in the rankings?
questions: Who did they move ahead of?
answers: Champions League
answers: Champions League
answers: Manchester City and Sunderland
answers: Manchester City thrashed Sunderland 5-0
answers: Manchester City
answers: Manchester City thrashed Sunderland 5-0
answers: Adam Johnson
answers: Adam Johnson, making his first start since injuring his ankle in January,
answers: he injured his ankle
answers: Adam Johnson, making his first start since injuring his ankle in January
answers: England international Adam Johnson
answers: England international Adam Johnson, making his first start since injuring his ankle in January, opened the scoring
answers: six
answers: They are six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham
answers: fifth
answers: fifth-placed Tottenham
answers: yes
answers: but have played a game more
answers: City's Dutch international
answers: City's Dutch international Nigel de Jong
answers: seven
answers: There are still seven games to go
answers: to the top four
answers:  to cement their position in the top four 
answers: Tottenham
answers: They are six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham